23 Oct 2014

Legal snags slow Tahiti tourism project

2:41 pm on 23 October 2014

The French Polynesian president, Edouard Fritch, says legal issues about the tendering process need to be resolved for the successful launch of the Mahana Beach Resort project on Tahiti.

In July, the government picked the project proposed by the Hawaiian company, Group 70 International whose construction is expected to cost nearly three billion US dollars.

However, funding is yet to be secured.

A Chinese bid, which had financial backers, lost out as did a French proposal.

Mr Fritch says the government has a deal with some guys who don't have the money while others have the money but see the project differently.

Last month, the opposition lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor over the cost of launching the project, casting doubt on how about 21 million US dollars in public money was used to get the bids.

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Photo: Presidence Polynesie francaise